From the Editor: Entertain Tonight

Casa, Fall 2018 / Winter 2019

By Gene Menez

On my personal list of “Best Things About Home Ownership,” opening the house to family and friends ranks near the top. After all, what good is a home if it can’t be shared? Having people over to eat, drink and be merry is part of what makes a house a home.

And the time to entertain is now. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl Sunday alone, the fall and winter are rife with opportunities to have family and friends over.

So we’ve dedicated this edition of Casa to helping people prep their home for the big party. In this issue, local interior designer Audrey Curl helps homeowners deck the halls for the holidays with several decor tips (page 14), such as making a wreath out of succulents. In addition, Laura Nell Burton and Christin Gish, of event planning and design company Cloche Designs, have styled a tabletop (page 16) with suggestions for china, linens and centerpieces. Finally, since your dining room will likely be getting more use this time of year, senior editor Kathleen Petty takes readers through five head-turning dining rooms (page 23) that we hope will provide inspiration for your own space.

And, as always, the issue will feature some of the area’s most beautiful residences. Ryan Bollom and Ashley Heeren’s 111-year-old home in historic King William (page 32) was formerly an outdated, structurally unsound bed-and-breakfast before it underwent a prolonged renovation. Today, the design of the house seamlessly blends its old soul with modern updates.

Every year during Fiesta, Bollom and Heeren’s house is the site of a party. Guests dress as pirates and watch the King William Fair Parade roll by. Beverages are consumed. Good times ensue. Memories are made. And their house becomes a home.